ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH CHERVIL
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh asparagus
6 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 sliced onion
1 – 8 ounce Yukon gold potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh chervil leaves and stems tied in a bundle
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Chervil Butter: 1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature blended with ¼ cup minced chervil.
Directions:
Rinse the asparagus free of sand and grit. Snap off coarse ends, trim off and reserve the asparagus tips. Cut the stem into 1" lengths.
Bring water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Add the asparagus stems and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Strain them from the water and repeat with the asparagus tips cooking them just 2-3 minutes. Reserve the asparagus water.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. When foam subsides, add the onion and potato cubes, cook them slowly for 2-3 minutes. Put in the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the tender asparagus stalks into the pan along with 1 quart of the asparagus cooking water. Add thee chervil stems. Return the liquid to a boil and cook maintain at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the chervil and put the contents of the pot through a food mill adding asparagus broth as needed to rinse through the puree.
Reheat the pureed soup. Stir in the cream and season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Spoon a generous teaspoon of Chervil Butter in the center of each serving.
